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NEWS STREAM

Fight for Libya Heating Up; Crimes Against Humanity in Libya; Mubarak Corruption Allegations

Aired March 03, 2011 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: Gadhafi's forces strike back as towns held by the opposition are bombed by Libyan jets.

Reports say Egypt's former president, Hosni Mubarak, will be questioned over corruption allegations.

And we follow up on a shocking story from Kenya of unbelievable conditions for the mentally disabled.

I'm Kristie Lu Stout, in Hong Kong. And this is NEWS STREAM.

Now, the fight for Libya is heating up. And as planes drop bombs on opposition-held areas, the International Criminal Court says Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and other officials are being investigated for crimes against humanity. We'll bring you more on that probe in just a minute.

But first, let's turn to eastern Libya.

Now, witnesses in Al-Brega and Ajdabiya reporting a second straight day of air strikes. Now, you'll recall rebels in Al-Brega beat back pro-Gadhafi forces on Wednesday. At least four people were killed.

Now, the air strikes come as Gadhafi tries to reassert control in the east. Our Ben Wedeman witnessed some of Wednesday's bombings, and he joins us now from eastern Libya.

Ben, new attacks today. What is the latest?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there's been a series of air strikes in this area. We're in Ajdabiya at the moment.

There was an air strike just outside this town on an ammunition dump. This ammunition dump is where a lot of the weapons and ammunition are coming from, being used by the anti-government forces.

And, of course, earlier in the day, there was another air strike just outside the refinery in Brega. According to our information, no causalities as a result of these air strikes. But clearly, the Libyan air force has a free hand over this part of the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (voice-over): First, the roar of the plane. Then, a bomb explodes just beside the road.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Planes of Gadhafi's army are attacking Brega and these people with his planes.

WEDEMAN: The target was these men, a collection of soldiers who had gone over to the opposition, and volunteer fighters, gathering to launch a counterattack against government forces, which early Wednesday overran the town of Al-Brega, site of one of Libya's largest oil refineries.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's over (ph) for Moammar Gadhafi -- OK. Goodbye.

WEDEMAN: Strategizing is done on the run. In addition to control of the skies, the enemy has far more firepower.

"Our message to the world is that we want a no-fly zone," says General Bashir Abdel Zenni (ph). "They're bombing us with their planes."

The Libyan revolt is beginning to look dramatically different from those that came before.

(on camera): In Egypt and in Tunisia, it was a fight between unarmed protesters and the regimes. Here in Libya, it is becoming what looks like a civil war.

(voice-over): Further to the rear, outside the town of Ajdabiya, weapons are being tested. Frantic preparations afoot in the event government forces push further east.

(GUNFIRE)

WEDEMAN: Anti-aircraft guns fresh out of an arms depot are cleaned of grease. Everyone pitches in.

At Al-Brega's Hillel (ph) hospital, the wounded from the nearby battle are rushed into the emergency ward. Four people killed in the fighting are in the hospital's morgue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what we get from Gadhafi, only bombs. And take our blood and take our oil. It's (INAUDIBLE).

WEDEMAN: Outside, fighter Abdel Salam Saleh (ph) vows to take the fight to Moammar Gadhafi's palace in Tripoli. "By the grace of God, victory," he declares.

In this battle, the opposition forces were victorious. Government troops were run out of town.

What followed was a wild celebrations, fighters celebrating by tearing down one of the last remaining pictures of their hated leader. But Gadhafi had the last word. One of his jets dropping one last bomb to break up the party.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN: And our understanding at this point, Kristie, is the fighters are now gathering in Brega, hoping to start pushing back Gadhafi's forces on the road to Tripoli -- Kristie.

STOUT: Now, the rebels, they were able to fend off the attacks yesterday. But can they continue to hold their ground.

WEDEMAN: Well, certainly what we've seen is that a lot of the equipment, the tanks, the anti-aircraft guns, the anti-tank guns, have all been sort of moved out of where they were just sitting collecting dust, that they've really bolstered the defenses outside this town to the town of Ajdabiya. And a lot of equipment is now in Brega, where just the day before yesterday, we saw this -- they had almost nothing in the way of defenses, just a couple of guys with automatic rifles. So it does appear that -- I think they've been woken up to the possibility that this area is vulnerable if it's not better defended -- Kristie.

STOUT: OK. Ben Wedeman today joining us live from Ajdabiya.

Now, as we mentioned, the ICC has opened a probe into possible crimes against humanity in Libya. Atika Shubert recently spoke with the court's prosecutor. She joins us now from CNN London.

Atika, what Moreno-Ocampo tell you?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, basically, he said that Colonel Gadhafi and his sons are now on notice, facing investigation for alleged crimes against humanity in Libya. And he held a press conference in The Hague to emphasize that point. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUIS MORENO-OCAMPO, ICC PROSECUTOR: And I pronounce to you that today, the 3rd of March, 2011, the office of the prosecutor decided to open an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed in Libya since the 16th of February.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHUBERT: Now, he also told us in that interview that there was a map that his office had put together that showed where these alleged crimes against humanity had taken place. They included things like security forces, killing protesters, and also unconfirmed reports of air strikes against civilians.

He also, however, underscored the fact that they're still at the beginning stages of this investigation, they're still collecting evidence. Once that evidence is collected, that they have spoken to witnesses, they will then present that to judges at the ICC, and then it is up to the judges' decision whether or not they will actually prosecute this case.

STOUT: You know, Atika, it sounds like a long process. So how long does the ICC need to investigate the case and eventually issue an arrest warrant?

SHUBERT: Well, when I asked Ocampo that, he said it would take a matter of weeks for him to come up with the evidence, and perhaps a matter of months for the judges' decision. And it seems like a long time, but this is actually very fast for the ICC. In fact, this is perhaps the first time that we've seen the International Criminal Court acting as these alleged crimes are occurring.

Previously, in the cases such as Rwanda and Congo, the criminal court was actually called up quite some time after the crimes had occurred. So this is actually quite fast for the ICC.

STOUT: All right. Atika Shubert, joining us live from London.

Thank you very much for that.

Now, a top U.S. diplomat has said that Colonel Gadhafi is slaughtering his own people. We can only estimate the number of lives lost in Libya's brutal crackdown, and it far exceeds the death toll during other protests in the region.

Now, the U.N. secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, says more than 1,000 people have been killed. And Libya's ambassador to the United States is saying this, that the number is more than twice that.

Now, in Tunisia, a U.N. team says that 219 people died in the weeks it took to topple the president. The uprising in Egypt, it resulted in 365 deaths. That's according to the country's health minister. And Amnesty International reports 27 deaths so far in Yemen.

Now, former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak is to be questioned over allegations of corruption. Now, that's according to a former member of parliament. He says Mr. Mubarak, who is believed to be in Sharm el-Sheikh, will be taken to Cairo next week.

Nima Elbagir has been following this story for us and joins us now from Cairo.

And Nima, tell us more about the case against Mubarak.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, the after- effects of the Egyptian uprising are continuing to be felt here in Cairo. Mustafa Bakri, the former member of the Egyptian parliament who brought the allegations of corruption against the former president, Hosni Mubarak, says that his court case has opened the doors for the prosecutor general's office to ask banks for the private accounts held by the entire Mubarak family.

His case specifically deals with accounts held by Hosni Mubarak, his wife, and his two sons at the Ali (ph) Bank, the (INAUDIBLE) here in Cairo. So, based on that the prosecutor general's office has now asked a wide -- has asked several Egyptian banks and property holders to pass over their details of the holdings of the Mubarak family, and has put in place a travel ban.

Next week, the expectation is that the prosecutor general will be speaking and questioning the Mubarak family, including the former president, about the assets that they managed to amass during the 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule -- Kristie Lu.

STOUT: Another headline out of Egypt, the prime minister has resigned. What led to that?

ELBAGIR: Well, yes, a very tumultuous morning here in Cairo. Ahmed Shafiq, the Egyptian prime minister who was put in place by the former president, Hosni Mubarak, has been asked by the Supreme Military Council to step down.

The hope is that this will slightly take the wind out of the sails of the Tahrir Square protesters who were expected to congregate tomorrow. They say that this is only one of a slew of requests that they have in place for the military council that have not yet been fulfilled.

So they're saying fine, Ahmed Shafiq is now gone. And Essam Sharaf, the former Egyptian transport minister, a very respected figure here in Egypt, has been asked to put together a new cabinet. That's fine and good, but what about the repeal of the emergency laws?

Here in Cairo, we're still under a midnight curfew. They say that that has not yet been acted upon. They still are asking for civilian presence on the military council, and they're also asking for a swifter transition to civilian law.

So the expectation is that we are still going to see protests here in Cairo tomorrow -- Kristie Lu.

STOUT: All right. Nima Elbagir, joining us live in Cairo.

Thank you.

And the day after launching a stinging attack on the U.S. and Israel, Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, has said sorry. On Tuesday, he said that there was a control room in Israel managed by the White House that was destabilizing the Arab world. He asked Obama whether he was the president of the U.S. or of the Arab world.

And when his speech was later aired, his anti-U.S. comments were edited out. Then, on Wednesday, he called the White House to "convey" his regret for misunderstandings.

And still ahead on NEWS STREAM, Kenyans are shocked. And the government is promising an inquiry after a CNN documentary shows us where this mother locked her son and why she felt she needed to.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, we have new information about the man who shot and killed two U.S. troops in Germany on Wednesday. Now, let's go straight to our Frederik Pleitgen. He is just outside Frankfurt.

And Fred, what is the identity and the motive of the shooter?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the 21-year-old man from Kosovo who has been identified as Arid Uka, he lives in the Frankfurt area. And what the authorities here have now told us is that he is apparently a radicalized Muslim, as they say. And they say that he was actually radicalized only a short time ago.

They say that this process only took about maybe four to five weeks, where he was frequently visiting radical Islamic Web sites, some of them actually sort of locally-issued Web sites here, from the Frankfurt area, from a Frankfurt imam in particular. And apparently, he has told the authorities who are questioning him now that he clearly went to the airport in Frankfurt specifically to kill American soldiers.

Now, they say that he went to the bus where these soldiers were sort of lingering around. He went up to them, made sure that they were actually American troops, and then opened fire.

One of the other interesting details we got is that apparently, the only reason why at some point he stopped firing on them and ran away is that the weapon that he was using, which was a pistol, seems to have jammed -- Kristie.

STOUT: All right. Frederik Pleitgen, joining us live from Frankfurt.

Many thanks, indeed, for that.

Now, let's go to Kenya now, where human rights activists say the government has broken the U.N. convention on how people with disabilities should be treated.

Now, last month, CNN exposed the story of a mother who felt forced to lock up her own son because people in the community were afraid of his disability. That report shocked Kenyans and human rights groups around the world.

Let's remind you of the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It started life a century ago as a smallpox isolation unit. Later, it became a lunatic asylum.

Mathari Hospital is a place most Kenyans fear.

EDAH MAINA, KENYA SOCIETY FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED: They are locked up. There is no kind of game. It's like all they think about is that they are sick and they're not meant to be doing (ph) anything else.

MCKENZIE: We were given rare access to Mathari Hospital, and what we found was shocking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there's somebody who died there at night. Somebody died there.

MCKENZIE: Behind a steel door, a shrouded corpse of a man that patients say died the night before, but next to someone in an isolation cell. Hospital staff denied the body had been left there all night, but demanded we delete the video.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean why -- why are we making such a big deal out of this?

MCKENZIE: When we refused, we were locked in with the patients.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want you to open the gate so we can walk out of here (INAUDIBLE) nine.

MCKENZIE: The patients take the opportunity to tell us their stories -- the powerful tranquilizers they're given, making it nearly impossible to do the simplest tasks, how they're crammed in at night, 12 beds to a dorm. Patients claim they are raped by other patients and that the hospital staff does nothing. The administrators say they have not heard of rape cases.

The patients must pay to be here, but they call themselves inmates. And by this point, so were we.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. Let me in. I've been waiting for them.

MCKENZIE: Do you think it's a good thing to --

(CROSSTALK)

MCKENZIE: -- be locking journalists away?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, we are not locking --

(CROSSTALK)

MCKENZIE: Because you don't --

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, we are not locking --

MCKENZIE: -- it's inconvenient to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let us out there. I want to go out here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There you go.

MCKENZIE: Finally, we called the Kenyan prime minister's office, which worked to get us freed. Thank you. Three hours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three hours, 15 minutes.

MCKENZIE: As if nothing had happened, Altua (ph) continued. We were out, but there's no escaping the harsh reality of Kenya's decaying mental health infrastructure.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

STOUT: Some shocking images there. And that was part of a special documentary from CNN's David McKenzie. And since it aired last weekend, the Kenyan government has promised an inquiry into the allegations.

Let's get more now from David. He joins us live from Nairobi.

And David, tell us more about the incredible reaction and official reaction to your report.

MCKENZIE: Well, Kristie, we can't really overblow the official reaction until actually some action is done. But certainly, initially, I've spoken to the Kenyan government spokesman. He said that they're going to look into the conditions at that hospital, Mathari Hospital. They're going to have an administrative inquiry.

And I asked him when exactly can they expect the results of that inquiry and some action to be done? And he said in one to two weeks. So that's definitely good news for the people stuck in Mathari Hospital.

You mentioned a mother and child. And certainly, there are thousands of Kenyans stuck around this country, stuck in their houses, their shacks in the places they call home. And they're often forced to tie up their loved ones who have mental illness or mental disability.

The only alternative is often a place like Mathari. And they can't get the drugs, the access to care that they need, Kristie. So, certainly, the scale is massive in Kenya. And a lot of reaction from international groups saying that in fact Kenya has contravened international law in its treatment of the mentally ill and disabled -- Kristie.

STOUT: You know, this must be an Africa-wide problem as well. The Kenyan government is now promising an inquiry. But that will put pressure on other governments in Africa to approve the care of their mentally ill?

MCKENZIE: Well, it's not just Africa, as you know. It's the whole of the world.

Many places in the world, mental illness and mental disability are stigmatized. The governments don't do enough to help these people.

In Kenya, less than one percent, far less than one percent, of the health budget goes toward mental health, though up to a quarter of the people going to hospitals to seek attention are there for some sort of mental illness or mental disability reason, according to the government's own figures. Now, Kenya is not some backward country that doesn't have any kind of health infrastructure. We have good hospitals in Nairobi, we (AUDIO GAP). But really, what rights groups are saying is that mental health and -- though it's such a huge problem in terms of the numbers, has just (AUDIO GAP).

And another fact that you cannot ignore both in Kenya and elsewhere is corruption. Three billion dollars, Kristie, was stolen from the government by officials and others, according to the government's own figures, in 2009 alone. That could have funded the medical services industry for a decade.

So, certainly, it's both the sort of attitudes amongst ordinary citizens here and elsewhere, and also just the lack of the lead by the government to actually care for its citizens who most need that help.

STOUT: Well, David, it was an incredible documentary. And I hope it brings real change to the people you profiled in that report.

David McKenzie, joining us live from Nairobi.

Thank you very much, indeed.

People in Libya are lining up by the thousands to get out. And up next on the program, we will go live to the Tunisian/Libyan border, where evacuation operations like this one are falling short of the demand.

And with Presidents Obama and Calderon meeting in Washington, we look at the thorny issues they are about to discuss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching NEWS STREAM. And these are your world headlines.

Bombs are falling in eastern Libya for the second day in a row. One of the targets was the city of Al Brega where there is a key oil facility. As the clashes intensify the international criminal court is putting Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi on notice. Prosecutors have announced an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity.

An Egyptian politician says former President Hosni Mubarak is to answer questions over allegation of corruption against him. Says Mr. Mubarak will be taken to Cairo next week to face investigators. Hosni Mubarak stepped down on February 11th after 18 days of anti-regime protests and is believed to be living in the resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

A Pakistani court has ruled an American accused of killing two men does not have diplomatic immunity. The case of Raymond Davis has caused a rift between Islamabad and Washington. The U.S. originally said Davis was a diplomat but later revealed he is a CIA contractor. Another court is to take up the issue later this month.

And she won't be doing this for a while, tennis superstar Serena Williams is recovering after an operation to remove a blood clot from her lungs. Williams, who has spent 123 weeks at the top of the rankings, said she hopes to be back on the court in just a few months.

Now let's return to the uprising in Libya. Now Washington says it is weighing every option as it tries to find a way to help protesters, but there's a big hurdle in that decision making -- a lack of hard information from inside Libya. Barbara Starr reports from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Days into the fighting in Libya U.S. military officials say they still have little solid intelligence from the ground even as they try to advise President Obama on what to do.

The U.S. appears to be behind on a key point: have Libyan war planes attacked civilians. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ADMIRAL MICHAEL MULLEN, CHAIRMAN JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: We've also seen, but have not been able to confirm, that any of the Libyan aircraft have fired on their own people. There have been reports of that, but we have been unable through this morning to confirm that that's actually happened.

STARR: But CNN's Ben Wedeman reporting from eastern Libya on an aerial bombing attack he witnessed.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I can say exactly what the target was, it was us. It was us and the people all around us which was I'd say about 250 individuals most of them volunteer fighters.

STARR: U.S. military officials say the Libyan rebels have tanks, anti- aircraft guns and a variety of arms. Hundreds of forces, including top generals have defected and are now fighting Gaddafi.

But beyond that, there are few facts.

ROBERTS GATES, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: In terms of the potential capabilities of the opposition we're in the same realm of speculation pretty much as everybody else.

STARR: As U.S. government official confirms that the CIA is maintaining a presence on the ground and urgently trying to gather the latest intelligence. The key now is to identify key rebel leaders and calculate if they can overthrow Gaddafi.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, FRM. DEPUTY DIRECTOR CIA: We may know some of those people, but to get a comprehensive picture at this point would be very difficult.

STARR: It's the kind of ambiguity that would have to be cleared up before any U.S. military support for the rebels could be contemplated.

GATES: I think it remains to be seen how effectively military leaders who have defected from Gaddafi's forces can organize the opposition in the country.

STARR: It may all come down to which side Gaddafi or the rebels have better command and control of their troops to be able to seize and hold territory.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: Tens of thousands of people are trying to flee the violence. The United Nations says acres of people are waiting to cross the borders as sometimes for days without food, without shelter.

Now Becky Anderson joins us live from the Tunisian-Libyan border. And Becky, what have you seen?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What you've got here is a humanitarian crisis that officials tell me could turn into a catastrophe, Kristie. The guys you see behind me fairly calm and the whole thing here actually is fairly well organized given the chaos that we've seen here over the past 48 hours or so. But don't be deceived, there are tens of thousands of young male migrant workers. And do remember that, most of these guys are not refugees, they're migrant workers, expat workers who have been there in Libya who have made it here to the border. They are poor, they are hungry and they are a very, very long from the homes still.

This is a holding pattern if you will for them. Some have made it out of here further down the road. And that's where Ivan Watson caught up with one. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exhausted and filthy, hundreds of Egyptian refugees waiting in a warehouse in Tunisia after fleeing the conflict in Libya. Among them, a 29-year-old accountant named Mahmoud Abdullah.

MAHMOUD ABDULLAH, ACCOUNTANT: The (inaudible) it is not good.

WATSON: What did they do?

ABDULLAH: They take everything, take everything -- take money, take watch, take telephone, take everything I had.

WATSON: Abdullah starts to tell us he can't wait to be reunited with his children in Egypt. When some refugees get angry at the sight of our camera. Thought small in stature, the accountant rushes to protect us and we quickly leave the warehouse.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Here's why the crowd is so anxious, they are desperate to board this Egyptian navy ship waiting at the dock outside.

Around 1200 very tired but very relieved Egyptian refugees are lined up right now to board this Egyptian navy ship, one of several that have been sent to help evacuate stranded people. But the United Nations says more ships and boats and planes need to be sent in to help move out these legions of stranded travelers. They say the number that are being taken out on this ship is just a drop in the bucket.

HOVIG ETYEMZIAN, UNHCR: It's a drop in the ocean so far. We need to have more of that coming in, more ships which can take more than 500 each, and air also, and airplanes so that we can have more people flying out.

WATSON: Over the past 24 hours, a sprawling tent city for an estimated 18,000 people has sprung up near the Libyan border. The UN is supplying thousands of tents. But it's the Tunisian military and many volunteers who are helping feed the refugees.

Foreign aid workers say the Tunisian response to this crisis has been astounding.

ETYEMZIAN: The entire organization is being done by them. It's...

WATSON: They're welcoming all of these people.

ETYEMZIAN: It's an amazing sight -- I mean, I've never seen such solidarity in my life.

WATSON: Back at the port, a line of Egyptian refugees clutch bags in one hand, passports in the other. One man so excited he kisses the ground before stepping on to the gang plank.

And we find our friend the accountant, Mahmoud Abdullah.

ABDULLAH: I am very happy.

WATSON: Very happy, why?

ABDULLAH: I was here with my family in Egypt. I will see my daughter and my son and my wife, my mother, my father, my -- everything -- my family, all my family. I'm so happy.

WATSON: At last Abdullah boards the ship for what he hopes will be the last leg of a long and dangerous journey.

Ivan Watson, CNN, at the Zarzis Port in Tunisia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And these, Kristie, are the lucky ones let me tell you. They tell me that only 10 percent of those who have been working in Libya -- Egyptians that is -- have actually made it over the border. And these guys have been telling me earlier on today they are absolutely petrified for their friends who have been left behind.

And one last story, not that we can confirm this, but the international organization of migrants tell me that there may be as many as a million -- a million west Africans who are undocumented in Libya who under normal circumstances are -- suffer quite a lot of racial abuse and harassment in Libya,. They have no idea what has happened to those guys at this point. This really is a crisis -- Kristie.

STOUT: Becky Anderson joining us live in the Libyan-Tunisian border. Thank you very much indeed for that.

Developments in Libya and the rest of the region are rapidly unfolding. And to get the latest follow our correspondents at Twitter.com/cnni/arabunrest. There you will find the very latest on this story.

Now in Washington a few hours from now, Mexico's president Felipe Calderon will meet with the U.S. president Barack Obama, but as Rafael Romo reports talks between the two neighbors could get frosty.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At a recent interview with the Mexican newspaper El Universal, Mexican president Felipe Calderon stopped short of saying he was offended by U.S. officials.

FELIPE CALDERON, PRESIDENT OF MEXICO (through translator): I have no need to tell the American ambassador how many times I meet with my security cabinet, more what I say, right? The truth is that it's a matter that does not concern him. And I don't tolerate nor accept any type of interference.

ROMO: The comment was in reference to a U.S. diplomatic cable released last fall by WikiLeaks in which U.S. officials talk about widespread corruption in Mexican security agencies and a dysfunctionally low level of collaboration.

CALDERON (through translator): Furthermore, if there's a lack of coordination between agencies in terms of security that happens among the American agencies where we see the DEA, the CIA and ICE, all of them have a policy, right?

ROMO: President Obama greets Calderon this Thursday at the White House for what will be their fifth meeting. At least publicly, the Obama administration has talked about a close relationship with Mexico. U.S. officials have praised the Mexican president for his efforts against drug cartels and organized crime.

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president is deeply committed to the strong partnership the United States has with Mexico. I think that is the reason for the meeting. We admire the commitment and sacrifices of the Mexican people as they confront the criminal organizations that have brought so much violence to Mexico.

ROMO: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Mexico in January bringing an eight package of half a billion dollars to help Mexico fight organized crime.

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: And both President Obama and I have been very impressed by President Calderon's courage and leadership. And we're very heartened by his commitment to a stronger U.S.-Mexico relationship and partnership.

ROMO: The visit happened only 16 days after American Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Jaime Zepata was shot and killed in a Mexican provincial highway. His partner was also shot but survived. Mexico is the U.S.'s third largest trade partner after Canada and China and the second largest market for U.S. exports.

President Calderon will also meet in Washington with House Speak John Boehner. At the top of the agenda will be issues like cooperation in terms of security and immigration. The Mexican president is also expected to meet with American business leaders with interests in Mexico who are concerned about drug violence.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: And that drug violence shows no sign of disappearing. According the Mexico's attorney general's office, 2010 was the deadliest year in Mexico's war on drugs.

Now take a look at this, now over 12,000 people were killed in drug related violence. Break it down, that's well over 1 person being killed every hour of every day for a year.

Now the year before, it was marginally better. In 2009, let's bring it up for you, 9.500 drug related violent deaths.

Now Mexico's president Felipe Calderon took office in December of 2006. And since then, more than 30,000 people have been killed in the cartel crackdown.

Now there's a lot more ahead here on NEWS STREAM. Keep it here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

STOUT: Welcome back.

Now Apple took the wraps off the iPad 2 on Wednesday, but almost as important as the product itself was the appearance of this man, Steve Jobs, Apple's ailing CEO. Now Jobs is on medical leave, but he returned to show off the new iPad in San Francisco. The iPad is thinner and faster than the original and includes two cameras.

Now not to boast or anything, but if the new iPad's specs sound familiar, that's because we told you about it yesterday. And our source, it was this, it's a case for the iPad 2 that we borrowed from MIC Gadget, a case built for a device that hadn't been announced when we showed it to you on Wednesday. Now case manufacturers sometimes get advanced word from Apple about how big their new gadgets will in. In this case, manufacturer in China let the case out a little early.

Now I want to take you next to the International Space Station. The crew of Shuttle Discovery is there for three more days. They've already wrapped up their second and final spacewalk. As you know, Discovery is on its last mission. It was the very first shuttle to dock with the ISS, so crew members they're pretty emotional as their journey comes to an end. And they spoke with our partner network CNN USA just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC BOE, PILOT: Well, we'll be glad to be back on Earth. And as a final landing I think you said it before it's going to be bitter sweet. You know, the shuttle, it's amazing the Discovery looks like it's flying its first flight. And it'll be a time that when we get to, you know, those huge team is involved in maintaining Discovery on the ground, so it's a huge pride for the 30 years plus of the shuttles flying. And Discovery doing great work on orbit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Did you see her pony tail? I love that.

Now later on Thursday, the entire crew will speak with the president of the United States.

Now Paris fashion week is already well under way and as ever one person has really been turning heads: Lady Gaga. Kelsa Breeze and CNN's Minnie Diragpa caught up with Gaga and her designer for an exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LADY GAGA, ENTERTAINER: I don't want to take any credit for Nicolas's work. He's really, really an amazing designer. He's an amazing creative I think, something that the music industry and the fashion industry share is that now that the internet is alive, criticism has sort of created this sort of competition and race when Nicola and I see everything as subjective and really free and really free-minded. So today was great, because we just sort of said, you know, (EXPLETIVE DELETE) music, (EXPLETIVE DELETED) fashion, it's all about being free and being proud to be a woman.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was theatrical, that's your expertise.

LADY GAGA: Well, thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Theater.

NICOLA FORMICHETTI, FASHION DESIGNER: Really fashionable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yep, fashionable. And you also said that technology also plays a huge role as an inspiration to you. Tell me about that.

FORMICHETTI: Of course. You know, we wanted to -- of course, it was very important to have an amazing space for the people to see, but for me it was very important that the entire world can experience the whole show -- you know, her fans and my fans and fans of Midlair (ph) and so I really put lots of attention to the digital media. So we have lots of photographers, you know, backstage...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do have to ask based on the news of what's been happening over the last week with John Galliano. Do you have any reaction to what has allegedly happened and now that the prosecutors are saying he will face trial.

LADY GAGA: Let's skip that question. Let's keep it positive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're first single -- well your latest single, I should say, Born This Way was the main soundtrack for this. Tell me about out Born This Way.

LADY GAGA: Well, Born This Way is one of the most important songs I have ever written . And I was really honored, because not only did Nicola ask me to be the musical director of this show, but insisted that Born This Way close the show, which was exciting for me because...

FORMICHETTI: But it's so positive.

LADY GAGA: But it's a commercial song now. You know, it's on the radio. It's big worldwide. And I thought, well, for a fashion show maybe he wants something a bit underground so it will be more Avant-garde records on the album, but he really wanted me to use it because he said it represented female empowerment and that's what the song is all about. And I think that's what Nicola is all about. And I'm just really proud to be here today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you have clothes, when you showcase clothes on the catwalk, you also put yourself out there. And you are open to our reaction, criticism, people really dissecting everything that you've done. Do you care about the reaction? Do you care about what people think about you...

FORMICHETTI: No. I care about what my friends think and, you know, people that I respect. You know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And that's the same for you?

LADY GAGA: Yeah. You know, I think -- like I said, scrutiny is like this massive thing now in this century. And for Nicola and I and for everyone that we work with it's all about your peers, it's about people that you respect, it's about knowing your own strengths artistically.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you make something that is very creative marketable? You've been able to do that with your music and even your look, but how do you translate that and make it into a successful, marketable strategy?

FORMICHETTI: I don't know. Do you?

LADY GAGA: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No?

LADY GAGA: I think if you ever back track, or if you ever show a sign of insecurity I think it shows a sort of a weakness in the idea. Stop analyzing everything so much. Analysis ultimately I think leads to divisiveness.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I do have to analyze shoes, though. I'm sorry, but I call these my Gaga shoes.

LADY GAGA: Oh, they're a bit.

FORMICHETTI: Little...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's why I call them...

LADY GAGA: I couldn't -- why are we so nerdy?

FORMICHETTI: Wipeout.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're not as high as yours.

How do you walk in them?

FORMICHETTI: They're comfortable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Much practice.

LADY GAGA: He was laughing at me today because they made me really high shoes for the show. And I didn't think they were high enough. So I made them make them higher.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm impressed. High five.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: Analysis leads for divisiveness. A new Gagaism there.

Now what else did she say? Well, find out on Connect the World. And we will have Minina's exclusive interview with Lady Gaga in full. That's happening tonight 9:00 pm in London, 10:00 in Paris and Berlin right here on CNN.

Now it is a comparison that was bound to happen to each man's prominent in the news and the things we heard them say. Ahead, our Jeanne Moos shows us a curious new quiz.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

STOUT: Welcome back.

Now they are two men making headlines. And they are two men who have said some outrageous things. Now the question is who said what? Colonel Gaddafi or Charlie Sheen? Jeanne Moos reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It had to happen: Moammar Gaddafi and Charlie Sheen seen simultaneously live on morning television. Gaddafi using words that stumped even the translator.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Colloquial terms used by the Gaddafi which I did not understand.

MOOS: But some of Sheen's quotes are a little hard to fathom. There's even something called Live the Sheen Dream that generates some of his pithier quotes when you click on his head.

London's Guardian newspaper put a quiz on their web site called whose line is it anyway?

Gaddafi or Sheen: Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that's Gaddafi.

MOOS: Charlie Sheen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Charlie Sheen again?

CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: You face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body -- too much.

MOOS: Nah, not too much. He was only joking about the effects of the drug he's on.

SHEEN: I'm on a drug, it's called Charlie Sheen.

MOOS: Meanwhile, Gaddafi is always blaming hallucinogenic pills for the actions of protesters.

"I have defeated this earthworm with my words, imagine what I would have done with my fire breathing fists."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gaddafi? I don't know.

MOOS: Sheen.

"I am like the Queen of England."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gaddafi?

MOOS: Yes.

Both men surround themselves with women. Gaddafi has his female bodyguards, Sheen has.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The goddesses now live with Charlie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your two girlfriends, the goddesses.

SHEEN: Yes.

MOOS: But you sure can't say Sheen and Gaddafi dress alike. While Gaddafi and his falling off the shoulder robes requiring constant rearrangement while Sheen shows up in a New York City t-shirt made famous by John Lennon "Let it Be."

But they did make some surprisingly similar gestures -- Gaddafi to his chanting followers; Sheen to his kids.

SHEEN: Right here.

MOOS: Seriously, though, sorry Charlie, we know the comparisons between you and Gaddafi are ridiculous, but we in the press just can't resist. At least Sheen has some defenders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's crazy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe fundamentally in a man's right to party if he wants to.

MOOS: Gaddafi and Sheen may be seen saying call me, bro, just not to each other.

Jeanne Moos, CNN -- these resentments, they are the rocket fuel that lives in the tip of my saber.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Saber, come on, that's Gaddafi.

MOOS: That's Sheen.

New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: You know, I took that quiz. I only got 4 out of 10.

Now let's go over and out there with a man who quite literally falls over and out there -- cricket balls over the boundary rope and out of the ground that is. We mentioned (inaudible) earlier, but his feat is something cricket fans will be talking about for a very long time. It was for the world cup's fastest ever century and smashed the tournaments longest sixth. Now he clubbed his time of just 50 balls and his second 50 off just 20 deliveries. The incredible inning stood him above the likes of Sashen Timbilker (ph), Brian Laura (ph), and Adam Gilchrist (ph) in the record books. And he did it all with this hairstyle to raise money for a cancer charity. What a guy.

Now that is NEWS STREAM. But the news continues at CNN. "WORLD BUSINESS TODAY" with Charles Hodson, Maggie Lake and Andrew Stevens is next.

END